


ruin the friendship

by galaxyofminds



Series: ruin the friendship [1]
Category: Blindspot (TV)
Genre: F/F, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Pattata - Freeform, Zapatterson, this was just a reason to write loads of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 23:16:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13798413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxyofminds/pseuds/galaxyofminds
Summary: 4 times Tasha and Patterson don't ruin the friendship and the 1 time they do.





	ruin the friendship

**Author's Note:**

> So I really should be writing aty but I'm stuck on that at the moment so have this instead!

One

 

Tasha remembers the first time she looked at Patterson as anything more than a friend. It was when she had almost lost her. Ironically, at the time Patterson had been following clues that had been left by her dead ex boyfriend. That second that Jane had announced that she hadn't seen Patterson in her lab for a long enough time to be worried, Tasha's entire body had filled with dread.

The realisation that she didn't know how she could go on without the other woman struck her like a ton of bricks. She _needed_ Patterson. It was her smile that got her through the especially long days of work. It was her laugh that could cheer her up in a heartbeat. It was her presence that made her feel at home. And that was why it hurt so damn much when she got taken.

She can still see the look on Patterson's face when they had found her wandering barefoot in the woods, ankle deep in snow. She was shivering, and her hands were like ice to touch, but that wasn't what hurt the most. It was the completely blank look on her face. It was like someone had switched her brain out of focus. The doctors had said it was shock, and that it would fade after a few hours, but she had been through something traumatic, so they should give her some space.

Tasha sat by her bedside in the hospital until the tiny blonde woman had stopped shaking, and she properly came round. She was on her feet the second she realised that Patterson was staring down at her. “Hey,” Tasha sat on the edge of her bed, “how are you feeling?” She brushed a bit of blonde hair behind her ear, letting her hand rest on the curve of her jaw.

“Like I just got kidnapped and chased through the woods,” she croaked, wincing at the sound of her own voice. Tasha instantly reached for the glass of water she had placed by her bed earlier.

“Here,” she tipped the glass slightly towards Patterson's parted lips.

“Thank you.” Patterson whispered once Tasha had returned the glass.

“Ah, it's just water it's no problem.”

“No,” Patterson grabbed ahold of one of Tasha's hands. “I mean thank you for being here.” Patterson's hands felt no warmer than they had when she had been brought in. She lifted them to her lips, placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

“What are best friend's for eh?” Tasha smiled sadly. Patterson didn't miss the look that flashed across the other agents face.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Patterson crossed her legs in front of her, and pulled Tasha up onto the bed completely, so she was sat in the same position opposite her. “What's wrong?” She asked simply, her voice still hushed.

“I thought I-” Tasha looked away, avoiding Patterson's gaze and crossing her arms across her chest. “I wasn't sure we were going to find you.” She flinched when Patterson placed a hand gently on her forearm.

“Hey, I'm okay.” She lightly squeezed her arm, until Tasha looked up at her. “I'm _okay_.” Tasha wasn't sure how they had gone from her comforting Patterson, to Patterson comforting her within the space of a few minutes. And she definitely wasn't sure whether or not she had just imagined blue eyes quickly glance down at her lips.

There was an almost uncomfortable silence between them then, before Tasha jumped up off the bed. She wasn't sure she would be able to stop herself leaning forward and pressing her lips against Patterson's if she didn't. “Okay, well... That's good.” She chuckled awkwardly, “awesome. Um, I'll get the team, let them know you're awake.”

Patterson just nodded blankly to the empty space in front of her where Tasha had been just seconds before. Why had she suddenly gotten so spooked?

 

 

Two

 

Patterson looked up to the sound of her lab door opening, and Tasha coming in. It was late, which surprised Patterson, Tasha must have been behind on paperwork too as she was still here. “Hey,” the other woman smiled brightly at her. A smile Patterson had come to realise was reserved only for the two of them. Tasha never once made one of her sarcastic quips towards her, and she wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not. Maybe Tasha was one of those people that only truly showed their love by making jokes at your expense.

No, Patterson shook off the thought. She was overthinking things surely. They were friends. Tasha had recently called her her best friend, which means _something;_ Patterson just didn't understand what.

“Hey, Tash!”

“Patterson, have you eaten?”

Patterson frowned down at the mound of paperwork in front of her. “I don't really have time to eat right now.”

“Come on,” Tasha wrapped her arms round Patterson from behind, peeking her head over Patterson's shoulder. The blonde woman didn't flinch, she just continued writing. Tasha sighed, plucking the pen from between her fingers and putting it in her pocket. “Take a break brown noser.” She grinned, briefly nuzzling her nose against Patterson's cheek, before stepping back and spinning Patterson round in her chair to face her.

After recovering from her initial shock, Patterson laughed, “hey, I'm not a brown noser!”

“Then why are you still working this late?”

“I just need to get this paperwork done, so I can focus on the tattoos.” Patterson reached forward to grab the pen from Tasha's coat pocket, but slender fingers wrapped around her wrist. 

“No, you need to eat.” Patterson looked up at the woman in front of her, momentarily losing her train of thought. _She is so beautiful._ Was she allowed to think that about her best friend? She had never really had a best friend before. There where her colleagues and her acquaintances and whatever came in between, but never a best friend. “Patterson?”

The blonde shook her head, focusing her eyes on Tasha's face. “Yes, sorry what?” Her eyes glanced down to where their hands had somehow become entwined between them.

“I said, I know a good Chinese round the corner from mine, you can crash on my sofa if you want.” She cocked her head to the door.

Relenting, Patterson sighed. “Fine,” she stood up, drawing her hand away. “But I'm picking the movie.”

“Done and done.”

It was just before midnight when they finally relaxed on Tasha's couch, the takeout food laid out on the table in front of them and a beer in hand. The tv was playing an old black and white movie in the background, which Tasha couldn't recall a single moment of because all her attention had been on the woman next to her. The way her lips moved with every word; the way her eyes sparkled when she was talking about something she was really passionate about; the way she bounced in her seat when they got onto the topic of some game she plays with a group of people. Dungeons and demons or something like that.

“You should come along some time!”

Tasha's eyebrows snapped together, “ah yeah I don't think so Pats.”

“Come on!” Patterson turned to face her on the couch, putting her left over noodles down on the floor, and taking Tasha's hands in her own. “It will be so much fun with you there.” She pouted, fluttering her eyelashes at the other woman. “Double please?”

“Okay,” Tasha rolled her eyes instantly giving in, a small smile flickering on her lips. “Fine, I'll play sometime.”

The brunette watched the lopsided grin that appeared on Patterson's face. “Yay!” She threw her arms around Tasha. “You won't regret it I promise,” She said as she pulled back, but only slightly. Tasha was still close enough to watch as Patterson took in their proximity. She heard the second her breathing stilled, and saw her pupils dilate.

Cautiously, Patterson tucked a bit of long curly hair out of Tasha's face. She shuffled forwards, ignoring the trembling throughout her body. Just as her lips brushed over Tasha's, the other woman ducked away, drawing back slightly. “We shouldn't.” It was quiet, but Patterson heard it.

The blonde sat back with wide eyes. She couldn't believe that she had been about to kiss her best friend. They were _friends._ That was all they were, and that was all they would ever be. “I am so sorry!” She felt her eyes well up, and quickly looked away not wanting Tasha to see her crying. “I'm sorry,” she said again, when she got no reply. “I should go.”

 _That_ got a reply. “Wait, no it's okay. We're tipsy, it's the beer.” Tasha couldn't tell who she was trying to convince there, but they both knew she was wrong. If anything, Tasha felt more sober now than she had before their almost kiss. “Stay, please.”

Patterson took a deep breath, willing the tears away before she plastered a fake smile on her face, and looked at the agent. “I really should get back to my paperwork... It's not going to do itself.” She grabbed her coat and bag off the floor, fleeing towards the door. “I'm- I'll see you tomorrow.” She was gone before Tasha had the chance to reply.

 

 

Three

 

“Patterson, Zapata get in here.” Mayfair called from where she was sat in the meeting room to the two women who were at Tasha's desk, sharing yet another take out. Patterson had avoided Tasha for a whole day before Tasha told her to pack it in and forget about what happened because she needed her best friend back. They shared a look of confusion before entering with Weller following behind them.

Their boss chuckled, “don't look so worried ladies, you're not in trouble.” Tasha and Patterson both simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief as she said that. They took a seat opposite her, Weller sliding a piece of paper between them. It was one of Jane's tattoos.

“I was looking over the tattoos last night... with Jane,” Kurt started, ignoring Tasha's attempt at covering a laugh. “And it eventually lead me to the coordinates of a bar downtown.” The next photo was the front of a very well illuminated bar, which Tasha recognised. She herself had never actually been inside but she had friends who went there sometimes.

“I know this place.” Tasha looked between them both.

“Good,” Mayfair smiled, “This will make it easier when I ask you to go undercover there to solve this case.”

Patterson leant forward excitedly. “Undercover?! Tell us what we have to do.” Tasha looked at her warmly, loving how hyper she had gotten.

“We managed to intercept communications between a hacker called poseidon, and two women who are looking to buy government intel from them, what that intel is we aren't sure. We have been blocking the messages from the women before they reached this poseidon, and sending our own in place.” Mayfair placed a third photo down in front of them, which showed them the correspondence.

“Now,” Weller cut in. “Judging by the messages, These women have never actually met face to face with the hacker.”

“You want us to go to the sale as them?” Tasha asked, her brows drawn together. “Isn't that a bit risky, he is bound to know what they look like. It would be stupid of him to go in blind.”

“You will be on comms the whole time... and it's worth taking the risk.”

Patterson could tell by the look on the other agents face that she still wasn't sure. She placed a hand on her knee under the table, briefly looking in her direction before turning to Mayfair. “We'll do it.” Tasha didn't have the heart to back out now. Patterson hardly ever got to join them on undercover cases, so she wasn't about to tell her no.

“Great!” Mayfair stood up, reaching into her pocket she placed a little velvet box on the table. “Oh, and you'll be needing these.” Tasha opened it, finding two plain silver bands. “The two women... they're married.” Patterson paled, slowly removing her hand from Tasha's knee. She couldn't bring herself to look at her.

 

Patterson and Tasha got a cab to the bar. She could tell that the blonde was nervous in the way she was bouncing her knee up and down where she sat. Tasha switched off her comm, indicating for Patterson to do the same. “Are you okay?”

The blonde woman bit her lip. “Yes, I'm just nervous.”

“Are you sure that's all this is?” Tasha unbuckled her seatbelt, shuffling as much as her dress would let her into the middle seat.

Patterson shook her head, “I don't know what you mean.”

“I mean this.” Tasha gestured between the two of them. “Us. Going undercover as a couple after what happened the other night.”

She hadn't expected Tasha to be so blunt. That was exactly why she was anxious. It wasn't simply because they were going undercover. The fact that this hacker might suss them out straight away wasn't what was worrying her. It was wondering how far they would have to go in pretending to be together. Would she have to kiss Tasha? That hadn't gone down quite so well the last time.

The memory of the other night just scared her even more. She had been struck with these feelings all at once. Tasha was her best friend, but she had tried to kiss her. She had _wanted_ to kiss her. She wanted to feel Tasha's soft lips against her own. She wanted to taste her, and touch her, and really _see_ her. Patterson would have to be an idiot to know that most normal people didn't feel like that towards their friends.

She wanted _more._

And that scared her.

Especially knowing that Tasha didn't feel the same way.

“Can we just get this over with please.” Patterson sighed, realising that the cab had come to a stop outside the bar. Tasha nodded, and climbed out the cab. Subtly looking around her, she spotted the van that was parked on the other side of the street. That was where the rest of the team were hiding out right now. Switching back on her comm, she said quietly, “we're here. Going inside now.”

“Copy,” Reade said on the other end.

“Ready?” Tasha asked her partner, holding out her hand for the blonde to take. The moonlight glinted off the silver band on her ring finger, as Patterson's hand slid into her own.

“Ready.”

 

The two woman had been given completely different identities. Tasha's Eleanor García; Patterson's Hayley Lance.

The inside of the bar was brightly lit just as Tasha had been expecting. There was a faint smell of cigarette smoke in the air, and alcohol. Bodies were everywhere, swaying; standing... grinding. Tasha pulled Patterson closer to her side, more for her own comfort than anything else. Once they had finally reached the bar, Tasha ordered them both a cherry bomb shot.

“Um, T-” Patterson stumbled over her words, quickly correcting herself. “ _Eleanor_ , do you think that's a good idea?” She glanced warily at the alcohol, “shouldn't we keep a clear head.”

Tasha slid a shot towards Patterson talking in a hushed tone, “Yes but this is a bar, and if this Poseidon person is here already, it would look a bit suspicious if we _didn't_ drink.”

Patterson thought about it for a brief moment, coming to the conclusion that Tasha was right, one drink wouldn't hurt them. “Okay, you're right.” In a quick motion she picked up the shot glass, downing the contents. A small smile playing on her lips. She kind of liked being undercover if it was like this all the time.

Tasha ginned at her, before leaning forward and whispering in Patterson's ear that she was going to scope out the place; see if she could spot their hacker. Patterson nodded at her as she pulled back. Tasha took a detour to the toilets, in the process she found a very suspicious looking figure hanging around near the bar, near the back exit. Ducking inside the toilet, she checked there was no one else in there before speaking. “Reade, can you here me?”

There was no answer.

“Reade, do you copy?” Again no answer. “Dammit!” Tasha slammed her palm down on the sink in annoyance, the hacker must have put a jammer on the building, which made sense.

The agent leant against the sink, watching herself in the mirror. She took a deep breath steadying herself. Maybe that drink hadn't been such a good idea. Her stomach had twisted itself in a knot; Tasha couldn't tell if that was the drink though. She had a feeling it was more to do with the beautiful blonde waiting for her 'wife' to return. She was starting to think she should have let Mayfair pass this job on to someone else.

Tasha quickly shot Reade a text telling him their comms were down, but not to enter just yet. Pulling herself together, Tasha left the safety of the rotten bar toilets and made her way back over to her 'wife,' who was currently being harassed by an older looking man in a suit.

“Hayley,” she called for the blonde's attention, pushing her way through the crowd of people.

She could see the look of relief on Patterson's face when she heard her fake name. “Hey, babe!” She stood up instantly, putting distance between herself and her unwanted guest. Tasha slipped her hand round Patterson's hip and without even thinking about it, she pulled her in for a kiss.

All the air disappeared from Patterson's lungs. She was kissing her best friend. She was _kissing_ her _best friend._ She had hardly had time to register what was happening before the other woman was pulling away. Their surroundings suddenly rushed back to her when Tasha looked sweetly at their company and said, “who's this?”

The man's scruffy, bearded face screwed up slightly in disgust as he took a step back. “Ugh, lesbians.” And with that he turned around and walked away.

Patterson's eyes widened, and without a second thought she called after him. “It's 2016 douche canoe!” The man just grunted in response. Patterson turned back to Tasha with a scowl on her face, who was looking at her and holding in her laughter. “What?” The blonde pouted. She told herself as Tasha pulled her back to her then that she was just doing it to stay undercover. And that was why Patterson kissed her back when Tasha pressed their lips together for a second time. And it was also why they basically stayed joined at the hip for the rest of the night.

To stay undercover.

_Right._

 

 

Four

 

They didn't talk about what happened while they were undercover. The mission had been a success. For the first time since Jane had walked into their lives, they had managed to solve a tattoo without anything going wrong.

It had been a week since they had kissed and it was all Patterson could think about. She had spent the first few days trying to convince herself that that the reason it was always on her mind because she was confused. They were friends.

So why did she want to do it again?

Shaking away the thoughts, Patterson stepped inside the gym. Working out was the easiest way she could think of to ease off some of her frustration. Apparently Tasha had also had the same idea. “Oh!” At the sound of her voice, the other agent looked over in her direction. She had clearly been there a while because she had worked up a sweat.

Tempted to turn around and walk away, Patterson hesitated. Deciding against the feeling growing in the pit of her stomach, the blonde stepped into the room. “Hi,” Patterson avoided looking in her direction. The slim fitting gear and sports bra Tasha was sporting really making her feel things she absolutely _shouldn't_ be feeling.

“Hi,” Tasha smiled.

They hadn't _really_ been avoiding each other... they just happened to have not been alone in the same room since _it_ had happened. Until now that was. “You uh... been in here long?” Patterson queried, looking back over her shoulder at the other woman while she strapped some boxing gloved to her hands. That was a mistake. Tasha was standing, stretching down towards her toes. The muscles in her thighs straining under the thin material. Patterson ripped her eyes away from the other woman when she realised she was being watched. Quickly tightening the strap of her glove she made her way over to the punching bag.

“Why?” Tasha's voice came from right behind her. Patterson forced herself not to turn around. “You trying to get rid of me?” She could hear the smirk in her voice.

Patterson spluttered, “No why- what makes you think that?” She chuckled nervously.

“Do you think I haven't noticed you've been avoiding me?” Tasha walked round to the other side of the bag, holding it steady while Patterson threw punch after Punch. She didn't get an answer from the blonde. “What's going on?” Tasha's voice grew soft, forcing Patterson to finally look at her.

Should she tell her how she is feeling? They were best friends after all... and it's not like they were going to sort this out if they stayed silent. Patterson sighed. “I don't know how to do this.” Her hands dropped to her sides, defeated.

“Do what?”

“Be friends with you after everything that has happened with us recently.” She could feel Tasha's eyes on her but she refused to look at her. She knew what was coming. The pity; the rejection. They had been doomed to fail from the start. Fiddling with the gloves, she undid the straps, letting them fall to the floor.

It pained Tasha to see Patterson hurting so bad. In all honesty, she wasn't sure they could either. She was almost grateful Patterson had spent the week avoiding her. It meant she didn't have to avoid her herself. She had needed to time to think, and to breathe. She couldn't do that when Patterson was in the room. It was like every time she looked at the blonde she fell in love with her all over again; like every time she smiled it was the first time all over again. She took her breath away. “Me either.” Tasha said truthfully

Patterson's heart fell; Tasha noticed this. Quickly realising her mistake her eyes widened. “No I mean...” She took a step towards Patterson, her hand coming up to rest on her cheek. “Me either... because all I can think about is kissing you.” Tasha brushed away a single tear that made it's way down Patterson's face.

There were a few seconds where they just stared into each others eyes, not really sure what to say next, but Patterson knew what she wanted to do. She stepped forward, cupping Tasha's face in her hands and, not giving herself the time to back out, pressed their lips together. It was slow; gentle. She pulled back slightly, checking that Tasha was okay with it. Her confirmation came with Tasha closing the space between them, more heated this time.

Tasha gripped the fabric of Patterson's shirt between their bodies with one hand, the other came up to the back of her head and pulled out the hair tie, letting her hair loose. Patterson moaned softly against her lips, which was a noise she knew she would never grow tired of hearing.

Cautiously, not knowing exactly where the line between them was, Patterson pressed her hand's lightly against Tasha's front, feeling soft abs beneath her fingers. Tasha sucked in a breath and Patterson instantly reacted, snatching her hand back. “Sorry,” she went to take a step back but Tasha grabbed onto her wrist.

“No...” She ran her thumb over the inside of Patterson's arm. “No more running.”

Patterson could see how tired and defeated she was looking, and in seconds had her arms wrapped around the other woman. Tasha relaxed into the embrace, tucking her head into the crook of Patterson's neck. “Okay,” the blonde nodded, “no more running.”

Not two seconds later Reade popped his head round the door, the two women jumping apart from each other. He looked between them confusedly before shrugging and telling them they had another clue on a tattoo.

 

 

five

 

Tasha had been meaning to talk to Patterson all week, but they kept getting interrupted. First it was Reade, then it was the tattoo's and now it was this stupid fundraising gala the team had been invited to... well Mayfair had been invited to, but who had decided that after all the good work they had done recently, that they should let their hair down for a while.

She wanted to ask Patterson on a date. She wanted them to get dressed up and go somewhere fancy and romantic, and then curl up on the couch at her place with a beer and watch movies. But every time she had tried, there had been something else.

What she hadn't been thinking about however, was that it was a black tie event. So when Patterson stepped out of the elevator into SIOC, she choked on her own breath. Her long blonde hair was hanging in loose curls. Her floor length black dress had a slit going all the way up to her thigh. It wasn't that which drew her attention however. It was her lips which had been painted a striking red colour. All of a sudden, the only think Tasha could think about was running her hands over the skin under her dress, and kissing off her lipstick. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad.

Patterson caught site of Tasha and smiled, coming in her direction. Tasha was still speechless when the other woman stopped directly in front of her. “What's the matter?” Patterson suddenly looked self conscious when the agent said nothing. “Is it too much?” Her fingers fiddled with the fabric at her sides.

“No!” Tasha burst, reaching out to grab her hand, but stopping herself. It wasn't the time or the place. Her finger's twitched at her side. “No,” she said more softly this time. “Patterson... You look... stunning.”

Stunning didn't even begin to describe her.

Patterson was struck by the adoration on Tasha's face. Glancing down at the suit Tasha was wearing, and her lack of shirt with it. The thought that all there was beneath Tasha's blazer was a lace bra, was enough to make her flush. “Well, Agent Zapata, you don't look half bad yourself.” She smirked slightly at the other woman.

Tasha was almost glad when Reade came up to them, with a big grin on his face. “Someone is in a good mood.” Tasha laughed.

“Free food and alcohol, what's not to like.” He looked between the two, “you ladies ready to go?” Tasha looked to Patterson who nodded, “apparently so."

No matter how hard they tried, Tasha and Patterson didn't get a moment alone until later that evening. Patterson spotted the other woman sat at the bar, a beer in hand, and made her way over to her. “Hey,” Patterson walked round her, her hand brushing the other woman's hip as she did so. “You okay?” She frowned at the look on the other woman's face, not quite able to read her.

Tasha's mood lifted instantly. She purposefully looked the other woman up and down, before answering. “I am now.” Patterson shivered at the hungry look in Tasha's eyes.

“How much have you had to drink?” The blonde laughed, pulling a stool up next to her.

“What?! It's free!” Tasha laughed, flagging down the bartender and ordering them both a beer as she downed the remainder of hers.

They sat in silence for a short minute, before Tasha looked over at Patterson, who was frowning down at the bottle in her hand.

“Hey,” Tasha grabbed Patterson;s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Pats what's wrong?”

Patterson sighed, “what if this is a sign?” Tasha looked up at Patterson's sparkling blue eyes, “what if this is nature's way of saying we shouldn't be together.”

Tasha tried hard not to let Patterson's candour get to her, laughing it off. “What are you talking about.”

“All week, I've been trying to talk to you and there is always something in the way.” Patterson looked on the verge of tears.

Pulling her stool as close she could to the other agent, Tasha placed a gentle hand on her thigh, rubbing her thumb over the fabric of her dress, ignoring how it bunched up under her hand, showing a slither of silky skin. “Or, what if this is... natures way of saying we have to wait, and fight for what we want.”

Patterson's expression cleared almost immediately, her hand coming up to the back of Tasha's neck. She gave up caring who saw them. “I'm so tired of fighting.”

Tasha had a thought then, “you know... we _are_ in a hotel. I'm sure there's a... free room here somewhere.” She placed a hard kiss on Patterson's lips; breathless when she pulled away. Patterson pulled back slightly, a small smile growing on her lips.

“What are you saying Tash?”

“I think you know exactly what I'm saying.” Tasha stood up, extending a hand out to the other woman, who took it immediately. She didn't even care that they hadn't been on a single date. All she wanted right then was to _feel_ Patterson against her; hear her gasping her name as she came undone.

Patterson nodded slightly, “let's go.” She whispered, leaning into Tasha as they made their way towards the reception to book a room.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I will write more of this fic but I didn't want to write it in this one, because the rating will be VERY different;)


End file.
